Graduate Diploma of Humanitarianism and Development

2027 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2027 course information
Award granted	Graduate Diploma of Humanitarianism and Development
Deakin course code	A656
Course credit points	8
Course version	1
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Course information	For students who commenced from 2024 to 2026
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Final intake	Offered to continuing students only. The final intake to this course was in Trimester 2, 2026. Students should contact Student Central for course, course map and enrolment information. Further course structure information can be found in the handbook archive.
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
CRICOS code	114006B Burwood (Melbourne)
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8

Course sub-headings

Course learning outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes
Engage in disciplinary research to evaluate the major theoretical, conceptual and policy issues in development, humanitarian action, and disaster response / management, both locally and internationally, framed within the context of climate crisis. Apply knowledge in engagement with communities and community-led responses to the world’s crises, including, food insecurity, conflict and disasters, inequality and injustice, racism and exclusion.
Use oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills to analyse and generate solutions to complex multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral issues for improving social, environmental, and economic outcomes including global justice, peace, sovereignty, community resilience, and transformations of power to a wide range of specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Source, evaluate and summarise complex data and information on contemporary issues in international and community development, global justice, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action. Apply evidenced methods and technologies across professional, organisation and interpersonal contexts, utilising arrange of digital sources, to design, monitor and evaluate creative solutions to contemporary issues.
Conduct scholarly and practice-based review, analysis, and synthesis of relevant and representative information to make independent judgement on existing understandings and practice across local and global issues such as global justice, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian action and opportunities, and generate alternative options, in the context of historical and contemporary development and humanitarian discourse.
Apply skills in research, comprehension, interpretation and evaluation of theory, critique and proposed innovative responses to complex situations or “wicked” problems encountered in a range of community, development, humanitarian, and disaster contexts, with creativity, innovation, and respect.
Plan, organise and manage competing demands on time, to work mindfully in a personal and professional capacity, whilst committing to ongoing learning, and performing as an practitioner and learner, capable of operating effectively in the context of developing community-led solutions to the world’s crises.
Work collaboratively as an active, engaged, and reflective team member in considering solutions to the world’s problems by contributing to mutual goals, tasks and outcomes, demonstrating active and constructive participation and contributions to resolving impasses and conflict.
Question, engage, and provoke, on an interrelated range of social justice, environmental, development and humanitarian issues taking into consideration cross-cultural, indigenous, local and global knowledges, contexts, and perspectives that can inform the development of creative solutions for the world crises.

Approved at Faculty Board 2023

Note – From 2026, Deakin commenced introducing Graduate Attributes (GAs), which define the distinctive characteristics of a Deakin graduate. You may notice some courses still refer to Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) during this transition period.

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Diploma of Humanitarianism and Development you must pass 8 credit points. The number of credit points required may vary, depending on your entry point or how much credit you receive as recognition of prior learning (RPL) based on your professional experience and previous qualifications.

An 8-credit point Graduate Diploma of Humanitarianism and Development includes:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
2 credit points of core units
6 credit points of course electives.

Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.